Four-wheeled tractor



June 28 F. v. DONALD FOUR-WHEELED TRACTOR Filed Jan. 3 1921 4sheets-sheet 1 Mrs/Wm vD mll 1927. June 28 F. v. DONALD FouRfwHEELEDTRACTOR lFiled Jan. 3.

1921 4 sheets-sheet 2 June 28 1927' F. VQ DONALD FOUR-WHEELED TRACTORFiled Jan. s, 1921 4 sheets-sheet 5 lllllll 4 Sheets-Sheet4 F. V. DONALDFOURWHEELED TRACTOR Filed Jan. 5 1921 June 28, 1927.

l bh w Patented .lune 28, i927.

Unirse STATES PATENT OFFCE.

FORREST V. DONALD, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR,BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, T0 NEW BEEMAN TRACTOR COMPANY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A.`

CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

FOURWHEELED TRACTOR.

' Application led January My invention relates to the type offourwheelcd tractors in which the two trentV wheels are the motor drivenmembers or drivers and the two rear wheels act idle running trailerssupporting the rear end ot the machine and taking up the reactive torceof the torque of the engine driving the front wheels. In such machines Ihave .found that the trailer wheels must be placed a considerabledistance in the rear of the axis of the driving wheels in order toprevent excessive downward pressure resulting from the reaction of thetorque of the engine when Apullinga heavy load, and I have found thatwhen these wheels are mounted on a single axle`r the king bolt aroundwhich the axle turns and which receives the full downward Jforce ofthe'driving and reacting torque should. for the same reason, be locatedwell to the rear ot' the front axle,` but not so near to the rear axlethat the rear wheels and the implements attached to the tractor willmove outwards when turning a sharp corner; therefore the king-bolt orjoint should be located about midway between the axles. Vi'hen turningsharp corners with thetractor. the king-bolt joint in this positionwillswing a considerable distance to either one side or the other of thecenter ot the tractor and when in'this position the two axles will be atan obtuse angle to each other and the force of the engine torquereacting downward against the joint will twist it and tilt the rearwheels, unless the :trame supporting them is constructed so that it willpreserve its rigidity under severe tension or twisting stresses.

The object of the invention, therefore, is t-o produce a tractor :tramehaving aA joint between the two axles which will swing laterally whensteering'and which willresist torsional stresses and preserve rigidityunder all conditions.

A. further object is to provide universal jointed means for vattachingfarm implements of various descriptions to this frame and means lforlaterally adjusting the joint and steering the tractor.

Further objects will appear from the fol.- lowing detailed description,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists generally in varia. i921. 'serial Nazis/1,562.

ous constructions and combinations. all as hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

[n the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with one wheel removed, of a small tractorof the handle-bar steering type, embodying my invention and shown in aposition for moving straight ahead; I

Figure Q is a plan view ot the tractor, showing the machine as itappears when turning a sharp corner;

' Figure 3 is u detail on section line lia- 3a of Figure 1;

Figure 3b is a detail on section line lib-3b of Figure l;

Figure 4v shows a modified form ot wheel steering and control applied tothe tractor;

Figure 5 4is a detail ot wheel steering device.

The tractor illustrated and described in Figures l. to 23 is preferablyof the garden type, which is steered by the walking operator graspingthe handle bars connected by steering posts to the Vfront or motori'ranie. The driving and steering wheels (i are mounted upon the axle 7oi the enfine trame 8, to which attached, at 9 and 10, the frame member11 having the rearwardly projecting pin 12 upon which the-draw-bar yoke13 is swiveled, held by a pin 14 in a slot 15. To each end of thedraw-bar yoke 13 is preferably' connected a clevis 17 and a rod 18passes horizontally through the two clevises and is preferably heldtherein against lateral movement by pins 19 or other equivalent means. Aknuckle bar 20 is supported on the rod 18 by a boss 20 and securedthereto for lateral adjustment preferably by set screws Q0". rThe rearor trailer frame is connected to the knuckle bar 2O by means of the longvertical king bolt 21 passing through the knuckle lugs 20 andQOd and thefork members Q2 and 23 and the point of connection between the trailerframe and the front driving frame may therefore be laterally changed byadjusting the knuckle bar 20 on the horizontal rod 18.

The adjustment of the bar 2O laterally adapts the machine for use Withany type oi ground-working implement desired, as the draft memberpositioned in the center of the rod 1S or at either side of the cent-erenable'ey the user oit' the maehine. to do the Work required. Thislaterali)v adjustable teature ot the machine has no pnrtieular vfunctioner e'l'eet in resistiugthe downward thrust on thevertieel king bolt. l

The forli members; 22 and Q25 nre rigidly eeeured to n CentralSupportingA ber f-i, preterably by means oli bolts 25. the liar el andforli member 'i'ieiiigarranged :it the upper lerel oi" the knuckle boi'Qt) and the lower forli member 23 being;I bent upwards to moet, the bei'24 and iorlr member Ding'onnl braces 2G `and 2li" ure Heifured to thebau' preferably by bolts 2T and .38 und extend rezirivnrilr; to n yokebnr *2-i to which they are rigijidl)y ser'ured b v angle plates 251) undUbolte; Ill. rl`he yoke han' 2f is Shaped in the form ol' :in inverted Uund carries :it its lower ends seeurely 'fastened rollers l whieh areeonnec'ted h v bolts` Btl to thc` diagonal eroes braces 33 :ind 3l,which .winnt iorward'. upwards :ind inwziide4 and are .se-- cured to thecentral freine :Bal h v bolts 258. Tie axles 35 and ."6 upon whieh thereni' Wheels 3T :ind 3S are minuited nre adjustziolj.' secured by meansof set screws 39 in mutable horizontal apertures provided in the collars32 und also provide 'for ver- 'zienl adjustment of the trzietor traine,by

' offsetting the Wheel journal 'from the support-ing' portion ot' theaxles. By this Coustrnetion the tread oit' the wheels muy be iidiustnbleby Slidingr the axles horizontzilly through the supporting collars; 552and veriiienlly by turning the axles in the :ipertures olf the Collar;sind Securing; them in the desired poSition by the eet sereivs Pif).li'hen it is desired to have :i very narrow treed to the reni' wheelii,:is 'for eultivnting gf-:rden vegetables or the like, the axles il?):and Htl muy be removed trom the collars 5321 zint/l 'nserted from theinside of the Collure'. bringing' the Wheels close together to passbetween the rows ot' vegetables.

ln the drawings, have illustrated ettaehed to the tractor :in ordinaryeultivator frame 40 having coltivatore iii. The traine l0 is attacheddirect to the king-boltJ by means of :i drawbar 42 rigidly Connected tothe eultivntor frame :it i3 sind 44 and havin# pivoted connections et 45to e eolzir #lo secured upon the icing-bolt, 21.

The draw-bar l2 may be of any preferred forni to Suit the implements butis shown as composed of two members separated at their fastening pointe42% :ind 44 and pessing' just, inside the vertical members of the yokebar 29 converging to the pivot point 45.

The king-bolt 2l depends below the bor 2O and is provided with a, pletelo having en eer 46 to receive Jche threaded end oi' a rod 46. Theforward end oi the rod '46 engages :in eye i0 in the rame member 'i foroscillation thereon :ino che threaded end of said rod is provided withlool; nuts by means of which the eti'e tive length of the rod may beincreased or deereaeed to allow for lateral adjustment oiI the bur 2O onthe horizontal rod i8.

'.lo the upper end ot' the member ll are pivotally eoi'ini-eteil nt 5t)the steering poets iii and 5l, terminuting in handles 52 :and 52a bywliieli the trnrtor in steered. Yl"lie posts nre supported` in nconvenient position ior the operai-or, h v vertiezil burr: 33. securedto the, ponts und iiieterzibly rouneeted :it their lower endet b v neross bur fil. i'ioruuill'v rest-iu;Y on n renr\rnrdl`\' projeetinf:tongue 5T thiit ie: secured to the und-er Hide of the eentrnl jirzune.bur 'J-i. l hund lever :"S hnring' :i euiinlile loeli devire` ."il)oi'ierutingr in :i notrhed qi'iudrnnt titi ifi supporti-'vi upon :ii'uojijetiug end ti" ot the breve 2li und is provided with :i ifrrinlinri'n (Si. conneeted to n iinlt 5L niu'ieye holt- (Sii. This boltypasses loosely through it bloeit (il pivoted to one inemliei.' ol thedrew-lier f .2 und is provided with n pin tln collar Ge' und spring,TG7. B v theee menne the `:groundu'orling; iniiiilemeute muy he liftedfrom the ground und their tension adjusted.

TWhen itv desired to turn the trnetor' sharply the steering' poste nredisengaged i'ron the tongue :uid swung' to one or the other Side, neShown in Figure S2 und it will he readily understood from 'lie abovedei-eriptioii nud reference to Figure t that when the i'eeetire i'oreeoi' the engine torque, in :ipjlilied to the lrnurlrle bnr ii() ii'. i.imposait ile to n'iove it downwards in the direetion ot the arrow A byreason ofi the posi ion ot the upwnrd diinonnl iii-:ieee Il?) und 3ft,the 'iioili nnuii'ier and the inne* l boli WithoutI movingT the lowerend ol.I the hinhbolt and the reni' wherein brichivnrde in the direeiionof the :irron' ll. Aia this backward movement. is positively pre ventedby the auxiliary drew-ber 46T the result is a. perfeetly rigidnon-tilting' "'r'rzime under all conditions of steering and Worte ingpositions ot' the tractor.

En Figure have illusteted the Sinne frame construction :is slightlymoditied when hundwvheel steering mechanism operated from n driversSeatI is applied to the treo tor. rlhe handle hers ere then removed fromtheir SoC-,hete o8 quadrante (59 having' e shank 70 aire inserted in thesockets and secured by :i Set' Serew 7i. Suitable hund levers 72 forclutch und throttle eontrol :ue

able hand ivlieelvi' is jonrniiled in beerlit) massen ings in the har:Z-il and is provide-d with a collar T6 and a pinion 77 meshing withtlie segn'ient T3. A suitable driver`s4 seat 78 is arranged upon theframe bar 24, preierably beingr secured thereto hy the. same boltsholding; the forked member 24. The construction ot the rear traine. tosecure rigidity is substantially the saine as in Fignre l.

.lt is evident that by operating' the steerin;r wheel To the ling'bolt2l may he swung to either one or the other side to make the tractorassun'ie the same pozition as in Fie;-

nre l and that the reactive }i)i'essi1xe of the engine torque is takenup in thc saniefwafy.

l claim :is my invention: l. :i tour wheel tractor ,con-iprisingl' auinternal combustion engine, supporting tractive means therefor, atrailer frame and sup? porting' wheels therefor, a liing-bolt forniing avertical pivotal connection Substantially midwa \Y between .said trailerframe and said engine. means for oscillating said engine on a verticalaxis to steer the ma'- chine, and means cooperating with said hing-holt,and said frame to resist buckling dfm'nward thrust on said king-boltresulting,t from the reactive forces of the torque oi the engine whileturning the machine.

2. A traction machine comprising an internal combustion engine having;supporting traction means, a traine pivotally connected with said engineand having supporting wheels, lnean's'tor oscillating said engine' on avertical axis and shifting the pivotal oonnection ot said framelaterally-to guide the machine, and braces included in said trame t'orresisting the downward tiltingthrust of said engine onsaid pivotalconnection.

A traction machine comprising an intornai combustion engine havingsupporting' traction means, a frame having' supporting' wheels and avertical pivotal connection with said engine, means for oscillating saidengine on a vertical axis and shitting-the A oivotal connection ofl saidframe laterally to Cba guide the machine, braces included in said trame,and means connecting the lower portion of the pivot between said trameand engine with said engine to co-operate with said hraces and resistthe downward thrust ot the reactive forces ot the engine on said pivotalconnection.

4. tour wheel tractor comprising an internal comhustion engine, tractionlwheels j'ournaled thereon, a trailer traine and supporting wheelsvtherefor, al king-bolt form- 'ng a vertical pivotal connection betweensaid trailer frame and said engine, means tor oscillating said engine ona vertical axis to steer the machine, a drag' bar connected with theupper portion of said king-holt and a link pivot-ally connecting thelower por-i tion of said hing-bolt with said engine and cin-operatingwith said tranne 'to resist the downward thrust. on said king-boltresultingI from the reactive' forces or' the torque of the engine.

5. A four wheel tractor comprising an `internal combustion engine,supporting tracl tive means therefor, a bar mounted tor horitorresistingthe downward thrust on said` kine-limit resulting;` from thereactive torce ot the. engine and pinventingl the tiltingl of saidtrailer traine,

6. A four wheel tractor comprising an internal combustion engine,supportingl tractive means therefor, a bar pivotally connected with saidengine, a ling-bolt vertically mounted in said bar, a trailer frameconnectedwith the upper and lower ends ot said king-bolt and having,-supportingT wheels` means Jor oscillating said tractive means on avertical axis and moving said liingholt laterallv to steer themachine,and means connecting' tho lower end ot said linp`^bolty with said engineand co-operating' with said trailer trarne to resist downward andlhaeltward 'thrust on said king-bolt resulting;f 'from the reactivetorce of the engine.

7. A four wheel tractor comprising; an inl, tcrnal combustion engine,sup'vortine trac-y tive means therefor, a trailer traine havingsupporting* wheels, a vertical king-holt connectino; said trailervtraine with said engine, and steering mechanism 'for oscillatingl saidicing-holt laterally and swinging said tractivc means on a vertical axisto steer the machine, said trailer :trame comprising;` braces connectedwith the upper and lower portions of said king-holt, a rearwardlyextending bar, a yoke secured to said hraces and connected with thehearings otl said wheels, `forwardly and upwardly inclined hracesextending* from the bearings of said wheels to the forward portion ofsaid har.. and means connectinrr the lower portion or" said king-boltwith said engine.

8. A machine ot` the class described comprising a traction meansl'ravine asource oi motive power, a trailer having supportimf;v

means anda. vertical pivotal. connection with said traction means, meansfor oscillating;r said pivotal connection from side to side to steer themachine, said pivotal connection loeing bodily and laterally adjustable.to change the position of the line of draft with respect to saidtraction means.

9. A machine of the class descrihed comprising an internal combustionengine, supportingtraction wheels therefor, a. trailer having supportingwheels, a coupling having a vertlcal pivot connecting said trailer looltifi lla with said engine, means for reeling said vertical pivot fromside to side to turn said trac non wheels' on a vertical axis and steerthe machine, said coupling being mounted for adjustment bodilyY andlaterally to change the position ot' the lino of draft between saidtraction means aud L'aid trailer.

l0. A lractoi comprising forward tracion means and a ,source ol" motivepower therefor, a trailer traine having supporting` means and a verticalpivotal connection loeineen said trailer frame and said source ofmotive. power. said pivotal connection being mounted for lateraladjustment with respect to said forward traciion means to change tlieposition of the line of draft.

ll. tractor cou'igrisinl;r forward `iraction rae-ans and a source olu'iotive power therefor, a bar mounted transversely ot said tractionmeans and connected with said source of motive power, a couplingadjustalily supported on said liar, a trailer trame having supportingmeans and a vertical pivotal connec-tion with said coupling' and meansfor rocking said pivotal connection laterally to 'lurn said forwardtraction means ou a veriical axis and steer the machine.

l2. A tractor comprising a forward traction means and a source ot'motive power therefor, a transverse bar connected with said source oflmotive power, a coupling mounted on said oar for adjustment laterallywith respect to said traction means, a king molt mounted vertically insaid coupling, a 'railer frane haring supporting means and looselyconnected with said king boltJ to oscillate lherewitli and meansconnected to tlie lower portion ot said king-bolt to prevent tilting ofsaid trailer fi-ame.

i3. A tractor comprising` forward traction n-ieans and a source oimotive power therelor, a yoke conneclecl with said source oi motivepower, a liar supported at its ends in said yoke transversely ot' saidtraction means, a couplingil adjustable longitudinally ou said liar, atrailer frame having` Supportu ing' means and a pivotal. irouncctionwith said coupling, the adjustment. oi said coupling' on saidliarchanging: the position of the line ot 'lral't. witli respect to saidtraction means, ifor the purpose syiieciiied.

le. A four Wluel tractor comprising an internal eou'iliustion engine,'forward supioi'ing r. liecls llier .lon a trailer frame liaw ingrsupporting' wlieels'and a pivot-al con-nec ion wit-li said engine andmeans Jior Gsell ating' said pivotal connection from side to xide tosteer the machine said pivotal connection being mounted ior bodilyadjustment transvei'seliv oi the inacliineto change tl'ie 1position olthe line of drali't to adapt the machine Jfor diil'erent types ofimplements.

l5. A four u'liecl tractor comprisino an internal coiulniiion engine,supportingT urac live means therefor a trailer 'frame and sup- ;iortinowheels therefor, a icing-bolt iforming a vertical pivotal connectionbetween said trailer frame and said engine and having bearings adjacentils upper and lower ends, a drawdiar connected' to said king-boltintermediate to its ends, means for oellaing said engine on a verticalaxis to swing it ont ol alignment with said trailer 'lraine to steer themachine, and means for resisting downward thrust on .said king boltresulting from ille reactive torce ot' the engine and preventing' thetiltingl of said trailer 'lraine in turning.

ln Witness whereof, l llave liereunto sei my hand this 30th day olBeceinber, 19:?

rose/nefs i7.

